Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-06-09


form to suchta set OF beliefs reach
q ssr!ain standard OF mental develop
merit, become worthy to be a part OF
Allchhsa bodyof men. But be ya perfect
even as your Father in heaven is perfect
is the admonition which covers ell the
ground. TO know God is more than 10
know all mysteries and all knowledge.
We are not set in the world TO succeed
or to work ont certain resats good and
desirable, and needful to the welfare 81
TIE world asTthay may be. We are to
spsnd our tifne and cur strength in all
good things. Bat there Is q higher suo.
CESS, than to bring even good plans to q
successful issue. Indeed it is possible
TO work sad harn by mi way OF doing
good thinRa.Instead OF having our
methods actnated by a desire to honor
God, we have come to work for the
carrying out. of our plans. We may be
more intent or doing Gods work in our
way, than in doing Gods work. We
may be calling fire from heaven to des
sroy those that follow not as, and yet
think We are full OF seal for God. Bat
il sur anxiety be To be perfect, rather
than to succeed, WI shall be saved froE1
bitter Disappointment.
But better we shall not fall into in.
tolerence of others. We shall be in,
clined TO recall how many times God for
Ohrists sake mas forgiven us, for the
eame Oft repeated sin, when we ars
tempted to rebnke. others for failure &c
help our plans. We shall find that the
nature Of God is so varied chat sons
n else who does not see him as we do
nevertheless does truly sac God, and id
really conforming his life to the life o.
God. We ian look back and
see those who are using; helps we have
long since outgrown and will not cal
them weak, We can look up and sec
some taking flights We dare not yet at
tempt and yet believe they are going OF
to know the Lord. We can eve ae5 thai
some who in ignorance or even wllful-
ness call God BY q name that we know
is not correct and omit to give Him oil
the honor due and yet allow that they ars
on the road to God and will eventually
find him.
III ia not selfish to strive to be like God
that we may nav sueh q nature as his.
For to be, Ia always than to do
and we can never do good without frs,
being good. 80 that il we. wish to ac
complish things, our reRdlest way woulc
be to SECURE development OF God-like
character. by this God-like character
we accomplish the wish OF our Savior,
uhosa aim il was to hRve us bring forth
much fruit. His last prayer was that We
might be sanntiied through his trutt
and so Intense was his desire that be
SELF even He, the perfect. taking es-
pecial pains to develop and increase his
perfection, subjected hIrnself TO the con.
ditions that would call for ~cnltiyatina
theae qualities that be might the more
rel lily help ua and that We might bt
the more willing to be helped by seeing
our Lord taking the steps he asked III
TO take after him.
This example OF Christ, taken in CON
nection with his words which make on
text and with the quotations given from
the old testament, show o uniform and
continued purpose oil God to restore ns
TO the stnte In which We were made
from which by sin We fell
II is o wundrous love that would over,
look our rebellion and still yearn for ut
10 bs HE perfect children. 80 in all his
treatment We meet no petty revenge.
no unfeeling .exnltation, that onr foolish,
ness brought merited suffering.
Bot undated love, that can. content
with nothing but our full Testossssoii *
the lost sonahip marks all his designs
for uH.
We are prompted TO ask the meaning
of this: Why is God Sc ANTIQUE to
bring us back? The ready reply, fol
God so loved the world"-sprinRs tc
every lip. Yes, lore is it's own justitica-
ton. It is its own reason fer being
always carrying its MI warrant with it
But at the same time We cannot helL
asking what ID going to be the effect
upon us of coming to be like God, te
accomplish which onr Father aeems sc
persistent. The points already rehears-
ed show in part what will be gained
and We do not yet know enough to ex-
plain eli the blessed possibilities thai
come to this life when We may become
the sons of God. To find self Sc
far expelled that God predominates III
our nature ito learn that it is possible
W. in this body of Gin to gain the VIC.
.tory&over its hatefulIness and to grow
go rear to the divine ideal that we are
not afraid to ba left alone with ourselves
To have gained 90 much OF sweetness.
and Light that our lives not only bless
others but come at last to be endurabIs te
ourselves. To have overcome the dread
OF being always base and low in our ten,
denotes and to feel that the progress
hence forth 10 10 his forever upward, be
cause the God who loved ne has not only
purchased ms but has taken an eternal
possession of his purchase so that the
promise Of Christ is kept. He and his
father have come and taken up thei,
abode in USE These are results that we
are enjoying here. They are not anti.
3nipations and hopes. they are facts. pres.
ii realities.
But is this all? Has the love OF God
Satisfied itself wnsn il has saved MS from
the grasp of evil and thus LETT us where
we would have been had We never sim
cd? is the purpose of grace exhausted
when WE have received even q gensrons
;reparation for all the raysges Of sin
Beloved now. are we the sons OF God
but il is NOT yet manifested what we
shall be. But while the future is unde-
terfnined, except In go far as our final
relation TO God makes us either blessed
or cursed, we can feel sure OF this-oni
work is not yet done. The scheme OF the
atonement must have results reach
ing far beyond the bounds OF time and
the human race in it's present condition.
Those who are chosen from the great
multitude which no mar can number to
be kingaand priests to our God, will
surely exercise somewhere. and in some
way their kingly and priestly functions.
III III idle tas Task when, where and how,
is u needsui to give details; enough
TO know that someof the redeemed on